Electronics to be exempt for sales tax holiday

For the first time ever in Florida, personal computers, electronic book readers and other electronics will be tax exempt during the back to school sales tax holiday this summer.

The Florida Legislature upgraded what is usually tax-fee during the sales tax holiday, which falls over the weekend of August 2-4 this year. Pencils, paper, erasers, notebooks and other back to school supplies have been expanded to include digital merchandise selling up to $750, according a press release from the Florida Retail Federation.

“Digital literacy is essential for our children, and we appreciate the work of all the legislative supporters of the sales tax holiday,” said Rick McAllister, president and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, in a statement. “By expanding the sales tax holiday to include computers and accessories, Florida’s lawmakers are helping make these learning tools more affordable for families. It will give thousands of Florida families an opportunity to buy their first computers, or upgrade the ones they own.”

During the tax holiday weekend, there will be no state or local taxes on e-book readers like a Barnes & Noble Nook or Amazon Kindle, laptops, desktops and tablets. Cell phones, video game consoles and other digital media receivers are not included in the tax break.

Other tax exempt items this year include shoes and apparel up to $75 and school supplies up to $15.

The sales tax holiday weekend in Florida generated $115 million more in taxable sales in 2010, and gross sales projections for August 2010 surpassed $289 million, according to a study by the Washington Economics Group.

Photo by Mike Lang, Herald-Tribune staff.

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